Chapter 713  Echoes of Battle         

The determination to save her village fueled Nori's every step. The villagers fought valiantly, their determination evident in the face of overwhelming odds. Yet with their numbers against a hundred, their efforts risked being in vain. Nori's heart pounded with each passing moment, the dying of her villagers weighed heavily on her heart. Amidst the clash of steel and the bursts of magic, Nori spotted a familiar silhouette. Elder Morgrimm, surrounded by adversaries, fought with a wisdom that transcended the limitations of age. Nori's breath caught, realizing that time indeed was running out for the venerable elder.

Without hesitation, Nori plunged into the fray, determination burning in her eyes. The battle raged on, a swirling vortex of chaos, but she was driven by a singular purpose — to reach Morgrimm before it was too late.

Back in the square, tension continued to mount as Ren and the others awaited Nori's return. The villagers who had rushed outside to confront Voraxa's soldiers were now engaged in hasty preparation for the imminent battle. The air buzzed with worry and fear. The approaching soldiers, a dark force clad in ominous armor, drew nearer. Their leader, a figure distinguishable by a twisted, horned helmet, raised a weapon high, signaling the clash. The air crackled with tension as the two forces faced each other in a standoff that would determine the fate of Obsidianreach.

The villagers could fend off the attacks at first, but soon found that the going against Voraxa's soldiers was death itself. Emerging from the shadows, a procession of armored figures materialized at the outskirts of the square. Reinforcements clad in dark, imposing armor, advanced with an ominous purpose. Their footsteps echoed through the eerie silence, creating a disconcerting rhythm that mirrored the villagers' escalating anxiety and fear.

As the remaining light from the surface dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the desolate landscape, the desert outside Obsidianreach became a battleground. Voraxa's soldiers, clad in ominous armor and armed with menacing weapons, faced off against the rallying villagers who sought to defend their homes.

The clash of steel against steel echoed through the air, a discordant symphony of war. The villagers, fueled by a desperate determination to stay alive and have a better future, fought valiantly against the overwhelming numbers of Voraxa's soldiers. The air sparkled with magic as both sides unleashed spells and arrows in a chaotic dance of death.

The villagers desperately trying to hold their ground while Voraxa's soldiers, who had the advantage in numbers and equipment, pressed forward with a singular purpose –– to crush any resistance and bring Obsidianreach under the dominion of their gluttonous ruler.

Nori was torn between the urgency of fetching Elder Morgrimm and the impending doom that loomed over her fellow villagers. She hesitated. Her eyes darted between the battlefield and the path that led to the elder. The air was thick with the scent of desperation and the acrid stench of burning flesh.

She took a step towards Morgrimm, determined to bring the elder back to turn the tide of the battle. But then, a wave of despair crashed over her as she witnessed the villagers falling, one by one, under the relentless onslaught of Voraxa's soldiers. The impending doom felt suffocating, and Nori's heart wavered.

Just as she was about to resume her sprint towards Morgrimm's location, she caught a glimpse of the elder facing a formidable foe. Morgrimm was surrounded by enemies, and tried to fend them off, but was on the verge of succumbing to the sheer force of Voraxa's soldiers. In that moment, Nori's focus shifted from fetching the elder to saving him.

Nori surged forward into the heart of the battle, a blur of swift and agile movements. She skillfully dodged strikes, seamlessly hopping and weaving through the chaos. Her petite form proved advantageous, allowing her to charge directly into the midst of the soldiers without succumbing to their attacks.

The familiar weight of her knives in her hands provided a grounding force amidst the chaos. She fought not only for the village but for the elder who had taken her in when she had nowhere to go. "Morgrimm!" Nori shouted.

Morgrimm, who was locked in combat with a formidable demon, saw Nori's arrival. His eyes, momentarily filled with gratitude, before worry flooded his heart. "Stay back! Don't come in here!"

Voraxa's soldiers pressed relentlessly, and Morgrimm's defenses crumbled when he had lost focus, and his enemy managed to pierce him in the chest. "Morgrimm!" Nori cried in despair.

As hopelessness engulfed Nori, a sudden gust of wind and a flash of darkness caught her attention. Azazel manifested next to Morgrimm, his eyes ablaze with intensity. Silently, he conjured a dark magic, hurling the demon assaulting Morgrimm away with a forceful surge.

"Are you alright, old man?" Azazel inquired.

Morgrimm gasped, staunching the blood from his chest. "I won't . . . die this easily."

Azazel grinned. "Good." He then turned to Nori, who had reached Morgrimm's side. "Can you take care of him?"

Nori bit her lips, holding back tears as she tried to stem Morgrimm's bleeding.

"I . . . I don't know. I can't stop the blood," Nori choked. "Morgrimm . . . Morgrimm don't die! I need him to release Ren and the others, but the villagers are also . . ."

"Stop being so rattled," Azazel interrupted, his focus on the soldiers who were rapidly approaching.

"B-but . . ."

"You're together with the Demon King," Azazel said sternly. "Wipe that frown off your face."

Nori paused, staring at Azazel's serious expression. She didn't know why, but right now . . . he seemed to have grown taller and more mature.

"Go and bring Morgrimm to Ren and the others," Azazel instructed.

"But what about you?"

"I'll hold them off. It's important that Ren and his group are released. They could also help the old sagging man."

"My name's Morgrimm!" Morgrimm spat out blood in anger and rested his head on Nori's hand. His soul on the verge of leaving his body.

"Ah! Morgrimm!" Nori cried.

Azazel only picked his ear and said, "Go. That sagging old man is dying."

"And whose fault is it?!" Nori spat, but she still stood and hurried back to the cavern to get Ren and the others. "Morgrimm, don't die. You still have to release Ren and his companions and lead us against Voraxa."